Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Baby its a COLD December here in the great state of New Jersey! The EtsyNJ artists have been working hard on great items that will keep you warm all winter long! Here are just a few of the great winter accessories from EtsyNJ shops:

Sky Cable Knit Scarf from The Spinning Hand:

Winter Wonderland Crochet Scarf from Creations By Danielle:

Gray Bang Bang Fleece Scarf from TrashedClothing:

Midnight in Paris Mohair Crochet Hat from MyArt4Wear:

Crochet Hat with Ear Flaps from Wool Mountain:

This is just a small sampling of the winter accessories from EtsyNJ. Want to see more? Click here!

Maybe you don't need to keep warm, but you still want to see everything that EtsyNJ has? Easy! Simply search for EtsyNJ at Etsy.com or click here!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

In honor of me surviving another year, I am having a Happy Birthday sale. Simply put HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA in the notes to seller form and I will give you free domestic shipping. Its that easy! Wish me a happy birthday, wait for a revised PayPal invoice and get free shipping on your entire order!

Valid until midnight Sunday 11/18. Wait for revised invoice before paying, I will not refund shipping costs if you pay before the invoice is sent. All items will be shipped USPS parcel post (7 day delivery). Offer valid to US residents only. If you live outside the US and would like to participate in my birthday celebration, please convo me and we can work out a reduced shipping rate.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Do you create for children or adults, women or men? Mainly women and children…I am considering a men’s line for 2008!

What do you like about Etsy? You can have a super-professional site for next to no $ put out; you can get loads of free advice from professional, friendly artisans; you can be inspired by others’ creations…what’s NOT to like??

Where do you find inspiration for your products? Fashion magazines, catalogs, people-watching in Manhattan. While I don’t want to sound too mystical, I truly think the yarn itself will indicate what it is meant to become. A combination of where I am in my own knitting practice and where my interests lie will also affect what I’m producing.

The seasons, obviously, are a source of inspiration. In the summertime I will knit with cottons and microfiber – I made the nautical-inspired “Young Man About Town” in the summertime – and as autumn draws near I will move toward earthier tones and fuzzy yarns. For some reason, I cannot get enough of Rowan Big Wool, year-round. It is so satisfying to work with.

What do you love about your business? Unlike some of my other pursuits – music and teaching among them – no one ever told me I ought to be a knitter. It is something that comes entirely from me. I sought out my great-aunt and asked her to teach me; I wanted to be just like Julia Roberts, and my goal was to make a super-long, gray scarf to wear when I moved to Manhattan. (I did it, too…from Red Heart acrylic, of course).

What is your favorite product right now?The cashmere camisole. It’s just so sexy and sweet. And a normal-sized woman can wear it.

What makes you unique at Etsy? I don’t see a lot of handknit items at my price point…mostly I see them costing hundreds of dollars because they are made from hand-dyed, handspun wool from knitter-owned animals. I’m not afraid to make something that takes a lot of time and wait for the right customer to find it. (That’s why I also have a day job!!)

What other street teams are you a member of? I’m sticking with etsynj for now, because I don’t want to spread myself too thin. If space permits, someday I might like to join fast (fiber arts street team).

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?Etsy is it…I’m trying to keep it simple.

Danielle has added some great new things to her shop since she filled out this survey just a few short weeks ago! You definately need to check her shop frequently to see what else she has come up with!

Monday, October 22, 2007

EtsyNJ is a group of very talented artists that specialize in many different craft forms ranging from paper crafts to jewelry and much more! This post was inspired by our recent A-Z promo threads, I'll choose one item from each letter of the alphabet from an EtsyNJ seller.

Monday, October 15, 2007

What tag categories do you specialize in?Jewelry – earrings, necklaces

Do you create for children or adults, women or men?Women, no men’s items yet

What do you like about Etsy? Etsy is a great community for learning and exchanging ideas about both the art and the business of jewelry making. It’s also the best place to shop!

Where do you find inspiration for your products?Everywhere! I like repeated patterns that are found in nature, I love architectural design, and – oddly enough – I’m inspired by the burned out buildings and scrap yards that I see along NJ Transit’s N-E Corridor line.

What do you love about your business? I love when I have the time to just tinker with my supplies and come up with new designs. I also love it when my favorite designs sell – it makes me happy to be able to share something important to me.

What is your favorite product right now?My Sunken Treasure necklace. I’m planning to do several similar pieces.

What makes you unique at Etsy?My store name is AntiGenre Arts, so I think it is safe to say that I’m not afraid to experiment with techniques, styles, color combinations, etc. I try to stay away from trends while still creating beautiful things.

What other street teams are you a member of?None yet. Once I learn more metalsmithing techniques, I’ll look into the Etsy Metal team.

What do you like about Etsy? Camaraderie with other crafters. Everyone is very supportive and helpful on everything from how to set up your site, critiques, where to find other products and just generally friendly.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? I find nature inspiring, but have always been crafty and usually just create things off the top of my head. This goes for anything from decorating my house with and eclectic mix of unusual objects that I find at flea markets to mixing beads together and thinking “hey, that looks like ____!” I like to buy mixed beads in bulk from e-bay or other places, sort through them and see what bubbles up.

What do you love about your business? It keeps me busy, but with a goal. I tend to go overboard when crafting and make way more of whatever I am working on than I will ever need. I am excited to have an outlet where I can sell my creations.

What is your favorite product right now? I love making earrings and have just expanded into making some bracelets as well. I have a “Hippie Chick Bracelet” and “Hippie Chick Earrings” that I love.

What makes you unique at Etsy? I create my jewelry based on things that I would like to wear, which I find difficult to find in retail stores. I try to make each set of earrings or bracelet different from the next. Since I purchase mixed beads in bulk, it would be difficult to replicate most of my designs, because I only have a few of each type of bead.

What other street teams are you a member of? NJ, that’s it so far.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? www.myspace.com/jewelryforfun shows off some additional photos of gifts I have made for others, tells a bit about my background, and shows off pics of my hubby and four legged friends.

I browsed Jane's shop while preparing this blog, and my favorite item is this: